42-31185

Satchel Lass

No. 42-31185, "Satchel Lass,"
a B-17G-5-BO, was built by Boeing and delivered to the Army Air Force
on September 29, 1943. It was one of the original 708th Squadron
aircraft, ferried across the Atlantic to Rattlesden in November 1943.
On board were:

The source within the 447th of the name
Satchel Lass and the distinctive nose art is not known. The
painting was copied from a well-known pin-up, painted by Alberto
Vargas. The artwork is seen as early as February, 1944. The name
Satchel Lass was added sometime between February and May.

Satchel Lass

Photographed in February, after 13
missions(From B-17 Flying Fortress Story
by Roger Freeman)

Photo taken around
April-May 1944, 37 missions flown

Photo taken around
April-May 1944, 37 missions flown

Original by Vargas

Bits & Pieces Project records that
42-31185crash landed on September 4, 1944. There was no
mission flown on that day, and Lt. McKahan flew her on the Brest,
France mission one day earlier. Shields' History makes no
mention of any difficulties on that mission, nor on the following
day. It's possible that the crash landing occurred during a
non-combat training flight. She returns to Shields' mission summaries
on September 22 and for a few times until October 9 when Lt. Polansky
is listed as first pilot on the mission to Gustavsburg. Waist gunner
Russ Kerr noted in his combat diary that the aircraft was damaged, but
with no indication of particular severity. Bits & Pieces shows
her written off and salvaged in January, 1945.